6/25/12 Petition looks like only avenue for repeal of license plate fee

  • By Nick Sabo
  • June 25, 2012
  • 351
                        
SUMMARY: Attempt to put Millersburg license plate tax on ballot fails due to technical error A referendum to repeal a license plate tax won’t appear on the November ballot due to a technical error. A referendum petition circulated by five Millersburg residents to repeal a $15 fee attached to license plate renewals was found to be invalid due to a filing error, according to Millersburg clerk/treasurer Karen Shaffer. Shaffer said Thursday June 21 that the petition filers had not filed with the village a certified copy of the ordinance that passed the fee, in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code. A referendum petition must be filed within 30 days of approval of the ordinance passing the law or fee that the petition filers wish to repeal. The license plate fee is one of two taxes levied by the village to raise revenues to offset budget shortfalls. Council has also voted in a $11 per quarter fee to pay for electricity used for street lighting. The fee will appear on water bills. Council is also weighing whether to place an income tax before voters in the November election. Discussions have revolved around whether council should try a one half of one percent income tax or a one quarter of one percent income tax. Council’s attempt to pass a one half of one percent income tax was defeated twice by voters. The referendum was led by a five-person committee who also plan to file a referendum on the street light fee. Committee member Marcella Patterson said more than 260 signatures were collected for the petition seeking to put the license plate fee to a vote. While she was out getting signatures, Patterson said, many residents expressed the opinion that any tax increases or fees should be voted on. “For the most part it was, I’ll sign it for the right to vote on it,” Patterson said. “Many people wanted to elaborate, they said they would like to see some compromise. They said they’d like to see (council) try a quarter percent income tax.” Shaffer said Patterson was informed June 12 that the petition had not been correctly filed and had to refiled by June 14 to fit the 30 day timeframe. However, Shaffer, said, she mistakenly gave Patterson the wrong filing deadline, which was June 13, and notified Patterson of her mistake the same day. Patterson said that did not give the committee enough time to refile the petition, which would have had to go through all the steps, start to finish, again. The referendum appears to have been the only shot at repealing the license plate fee through a vote. According to Holmes County Board of Elections director Lisa Welch, the license plate fee could be subject to a public vote through an initiative petition. An initiative petition can be used to force a public vote on an ordinance previously approved by a vote of a governing body. A recent example of an initiative petition is We Are Ohio’s action against Senate Bill 5. The bill, which sought to curtail some union worker’s rights, was defeated by voters. Patterson said the referendum committee is looking at all options, including an initiative petition. Regarding the referendum on the $11 utility fee, Patterson said 279 signatures have been collected. The petition must have 95 valid signatures to be certified by the board of elections. The $15 license plate fee is expected to raise $45,000 for the village. It can only be used for the street department.


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